Pakistani dramas are a great source of entertainment for the viewers. Every year, Pakistani drama industry produces numerous dramas, where some do extremely well in terms of popularity, there are also those dramas that do not meet expectations. Quite a few times, viewers come across such dramas that they are highly anticipating and are excited about but they end up not being impressive.

A lot of times, those dramas which are not heavily promoted and are executed in a very simple manner become popular. There is no specific or fixed formula which is bound to make a drama work, however one thing that resonates well with the audience is realistic portrayal and closer to life execution. Many times, overly commercial, star studded and hyped up dramas fail to impress because as the stories progress, it becomes evident that these dramas were strategically and smartly marketed because they did not have anything new to offer. A lot of times, viewers and fans of different actors and celebrities also play a huge part in creating the hype, but in the end they get disappointed because of the weak script or generally the overall impact the drama fails to leave.

Let’s take a look at the recent Pakistani dramas that failed to impress:

Meherposh

Writer: Misbah Nausheen
Director: Mazhar Moin
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo TV
Cast: Ayeza Khan, Danish Taimoor, Sania Saeed, Rehan Sheikh, Iffat Omar and others.

Meherposh was a highly anticipated drama because of its lead pair. Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor were doing a drama together for the first time after their marriage because of which it got the well deserved hype. The promos of Meherposh were grand and promising but after the drama started airing, it turned out to be a very typical storyline which had nothing new to offer. A simple Mehru coming from a decent background getting divorced at her wedding night because her husband failed to have an ounce of faith in her. Mehru then finds Shahjahan being responsible for all the mishaps in her life and finds one reason or another to blame and insult him. Shahjahan has no life of his own, his only motive in life is to love Mehru and do everything to make her happy but he ends up doing everything wrong.

This drama has a very commercial feel to it and the way it has been executed makes it very filmy. The genre being romantic is one thing but the note at which the drama has begun has promised nothing but melodrama. Talaq, talaq, talaq, sazishi chachi, roti hui bechari talaqyafta Mehru, clueless mother, younger sister dying to get married to Shahjahan who loves her elder sister – there is nothing in this drama which the viewers have not seen before or what might hold their interest. No wonder why this drama failed to live up to the expectations of the viewers and all the hype surrounding it fizzled out pretty quickly.

Sabaat

Writer: Kashif Anwar
Director: Shahzad Kashmiri
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sarah Khan, Usman Mukhtar, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gillani, Mohammad Ahmed, Seemi Raheel, Laila Zuberi and others.

Sabaat was another highly anticipated drama of the season. The cast of this drama played a huge role in drawing the attention of the audience towards it. Usman Mukhtar’s fans especially were overjoyed when he announced his new project and they counted days for the drama to commence. However, even after the drama began, the wait of his fans was not over because he did not make an entry in the initial episodes. The viewers were also skeptical about the character of Anaya played by Mawra Hocane because they felt the writer took inspiration from the well-loved character of Kashf played by Sanam Saeed in Zindagi Gulzar Hai.

Although as the story progressed, it did hold the interest of the audience because they did not want to give up on it just yet but slowly it became another which is failed to impress despite having potential. The scenarios are highly repetitive and the character of Miraal played by Sarah Khan, although challenging for her as an actor, is turning out to be an eyesore for the viewers. Some of the scenarios seem stretched and others at times fail to make sense. The viewers still have hope in this drama and are watching it but they can not hold back in pointing out the flaws and voicing out their disappointment in the show which they assumed was very promising. Another angle which the viewers are dreading is the love angle between Miraal and her psychiatrist Dr. Haris, which has become a topic of discussion as well as concern for the viewers now.

Zebaish

Writer: Bushra Ansari
Director: Iqbal Hussain
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Bushra Ansari and family

Although Zebaish is still in the initial stages, the first impression of this drama has been unimpressive. Zebaish was also one such drama that was being looked forward to by Bushra Ansari fans. The pairing of Zara Noor Abbas with her husband Asad Siddique was going to be seen for the first time in a drama, which also got people excited. However, it turned out to be quite disappointing.

The first two episodes failed to impress and it seemed as if a lot of information was cramped up in order to establish the plot and introduce the characters. So far, the characters are looking caricaturish with most of their tracks and scenarios not making sense. As much as the viewers are trying to find the purpose behind the given circumstances of these characters, they are finding it really hard to figure out the purpose of the story. This is the reason why viewers are forced to say that it appears Zebaish was basically made for Bushra Ansari and family to just please themselves. People are hoping that the story might improve but with each passing episode, it is becoming a lot difficult for them to keep their hopes high.

Jo Tu Chahay

Writer: Qaisra Hayat
Director: Ilyas Kashmiri
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Imran Abbas, Alizeh Shah, Zarnish Khan, Nargis Rasheed and others

Viewers had a lot of hopes due to it being a Qaisra Hayat drama. The original title of the drama Kun Faya Kun also helped a great deal in adding to the hype because viewers were quick to assume that this will be one such drama that will explore the aspect of spirituality. However, when the drama progressed, it didn’t take long for the viewers to notice that it was just another typical story based on cousin love, love triangle, plotting and scheming – old story, new packaging.

Imran Abbas and Alizeh Shah’s pairing was also being looked forward to but there was nothing special that they had to offer. In the pool of negative and helpless characters, these two were made to look like selfless saints but the surrounding scenarios and circumstances were so typical that this drama failed to impress. An overdose of negative characters and their comeuppance was least impressive and did not make much impact because everything got sorted in the last episode, like it usually happens in below average dramas.

Jhooti

Writer: Ali Moeen
Director: Syed Ramish Rizvi
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Iqra Aziz, Paras Masroor, Madiha Rizvi, Ahmed Ali Butt, Tauqeer Nasir, Asma Abbas, Yasir Hussain and others

After Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, fans of Iqra Aziz had high hopes and expectations from her but she decided to choose such a script which was nothing short of a dark spot on her acting career. Iqra Aziz on her own must have found this character to be challenging but the end result was not appreciated by the drama watchers. Even before Jhooti began, it faced a lot of criticism because of how the promos showed the character of Nirma trivializing domestic violence.

After watching the drama, it dawned on Iqra Aziz’s fans that she made a wrong choice. This drama is filled with continuous negativity spewed by Nirma against every single person that she comes in contact with, apart from her evil friend and fraudulent husband. It is unfortunate that so much of resources were wasted to show a story based on such a character which has absolutely nothing good to contribute to the drama world.

Deewar e Shab

Writer: Aliya Bukhari
Director: Iqbal Hussain
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Nausheen Shah, Mohsib Abbas Haider, Sarah Khan, Bushra Ansari, Asma Abbas, Zara Noor Abbas, Shehzad Sheikh, Shehroz Sabzwari and others

Deewar e Shab started on a strong note. It was another one of those dramas which had a considerably good cast and decent characters to begin with, but as the story progressed, everything went downhill with every single story and character showing no development or growth. Although it was a multi-faceted story with a lot of tracks, the way they were executed made one question the purpose behind this drama.

Those who had read the novel watched this drama with a lot of interest but as it usually happens, the dramatization did not do justice to the storyl. The characters would show zero growth and they just continued being repetitive to an extent of being boring. This drama also had a very abrupt and unconvincing ending. The actors performed decently but this project failed to leave a mark in general.

This completes the list of those dramas that failed to impress. Which one of these did you follow? Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section below.

Pakistani drama viewers have recently come across a lot of beautifully written characters that they fell in love with. It is nothing short of a treat for those drama buffs who invest time in dramas, to watch and live the journey of such characters, who have a lot to offer. Pakistani drama writers are known for coming up with such characters who are strong and have well-rounded personalities. Quite often, the viewers end up not liking a character which the drama writers assume they would, this goes to show that drama viewers like watching realistic characters with positive traits.

The story of any drama is based upon the journeys of these central characters and everything related to them. In quite a few recent dramas, viewers got to see these extraordinary characters who were conceived with clarity and were given complete personalities by the writers. A lot of times, good writing and then the way the characters are carried out play an important role in making them memorable.

Here are 10 characters from recent Pakistani dramas that viewers loved:

Abdul Ala (Alif)

Dada Jaan for Qalb e Momin and Abdul Ala for Pakistani drama viewers, this was a beautiful character that the viewers of drama serial Alif got to witness. His kindness and acceptance towards Qalb e Momin was heartwarming. Abdul Ala had regrets; he lost his son because of his stubbornness and preconceived notions about his daughter in law Husn e Jahan. Abdul Ala’s journey showed that accepting one’s faults and trying to do what it takes to rectify them is of utmost importance.

Abdul Ala knew that he lost his son Taha because of his irrational choices, therefore he did all he could to help Husn e Jahan. He resorted to a completely different approach when it came to his grandson Qalb e Momin because he knew in order to guide someone, it was mandatory to let them explore and find their path based on their own choices and pace. However, all he did the rest of his life was guide Qalb e Momin in the best manner possible, this is why after he passed away, his grandson realized all the lifelong lessons he had taught him. The dialogues of Abdul Ala were beautifully written and this character was portrayed phenomenally by Manzar Sehbai.

Saad (Ehd e Wafa)

It was after 2 decades that Pakistani viewers were getting to see an Army based drama with the main story revolving around an Army officer and his life. The viewers were already in for a treat and as the drama progressed with Saad’s journey unfolding, they found more and more reasons to fall in love with him. Saad was a man of his word, he loved helping others out and showed qualities of a true leader. The thing that the viewers loved the most about him was that once he put his mind to something, he would do whatever it takes to achieve it.

This character was not only to show the greatness of the Army officers, but also shed a light on how they are human beings too with families and commitments. They put a lot on the line to serve their country and selflessness is what makes them so great. The writer Mustafa Afridi humanized the Army officers beautifully in Ehd e Wafa. Ahad Raza Mir’s brilliant performance also added a lot of charm to this character. Viewers were totally in love with Saad, this is why they cried buckets watching the last episode because they did not want to even imagine anything happening to Saad.

Qalb e Momin (Alif)

Qalb e Momin was a beautiful character written by Umera Ahmed. He was a perfect representation of all those believers who face struggles on a daily basis to stay on track and explore their spirituality. Qalb e Momin was a disturbed child because he saw his parents failing miserably, but because of his grandfather he slowly and steadily found his path and realized that his life had a bigger purpose.

Qalb e Momin’s spiritual struggles were convincingly shown by the writer, this is why his character was easy to relate to. Hamza Ali Abbasi’s presence and acting played a huge role in making this character shine more. The entire journey from a compassionate child to a selfish adult and then someone who was unlearning a lot of things that he had learned over the years made people love this character.

Danish (Mere Pass Tum Ho)

More than love, Pakistani drama viewers felt sympathy for Danish but his presence can not be overlooked because he made quite an impact on the viewers. Danish was shown as a doting husband who could not imagine living a life without his wife, his lady love. Unfortunately, due to the infidelity of his wife, he got to face such harsh realities of life because he could not fathom his love as well as the safe haven he provided to his wife being not enough for her.

Danish’s character showed a lot of mental growth but when it came to his emotional state, it continued to worsen because he actually could not come to terms with the betrayal of Mehwish. This is the reason one of his dialogues broke the internet and viewers could not stop talking about it because after suffering so much, he decided to speak up. This character was complex and had to be portrayed carefully to showcase each and every emotion with clarity and Humayun Saeed proved his caliber as an actor in Mere Pass Tum Ho.

Kashf (Kashf)

Kashf’s character is being loved by Pakistani drama viewers and for all the right reasons. She is an obedient daughter who will do what it takes to make her family happy. Kashf is selfless and she has given up on all the dreams that she once had because she knows they get in the way of her serving her family. Kashf’s character is getting exploited at the hands of her father but she has accepted this as a fate.

There’s a thin line between becoming a bechari and just being submissive, this fine line has been carefully marked by the writer and director. Kashf is not a bechari, she is just someone who would do anything for the sake of her family, but she has set certain limits and conditions for herself. This is why she never misuses the position that she has and only wants what’s best for people around her. Hira Mani is giving a convincing performance in this drama as Kashf and it won’t be wrong to say that she has brilliantly carried it on her shoulders.

Dua (Ehd e Wafa)

It is pretty much a rarity where Pakistani drama viewers get to see such strong female leads who fight the life challenges with courage and do not give up on dreams. Dua’s life was filled with a lot of obstacles and hurdles that she had to overcome in order to be what she wanted to be. Her confidence in herself and dignity with which she carried herself were some of her best personality traits. Through this character, writer Mustafa Afridi also showed that it was also very important for girls to have dreams and aspirations. Getting married and settling is not the only option which is usually heavily promoted in Pakistani dramas.

Dua single handedly dealt with the emotional blackmailing of her relatives, kept herself afloat after the death of her father, looked after her mother and most importantly, did not give up on her dream of becoming a doctor. Her journey was very special and this was Alizeh Shah’s best performance till date.

Ramsha (Dushman e Jaan)

From one of the recent dramas that have started airing, Ramsha’s character has definitely stood out. Although this character was short-lived, the writer Sarwat Nazeer wrote it in such a manner that it made an impact quickly and grabbed the interest of the viewers. Ramsha was fighting her battles, she had to put herself in the world every single day to make a living but without making it obvious to her family, she selflessly did all that she could. Ramsha was unapologetically herself, she was strong and independent.

Although Ramsha had made up her mind that she had to dedicate her life to taking care of her family, she too had emotions and found herself developing feelings for Hatim whom she had recently met. Ramsha was sorted and strong, she knew what she wanted from life. Such characters are a rarity in Pakistani dramas but she definitely was a memorable character. It was good to see Tooba Siddique back on TV after a long time and she gave a very strong performance.

Sameer (Ishq Zahe Naseeb)

Sameer’s character was unique and probably being shown on Pakistani television for the first time. Sameer suffered from identity disorder and was bipolar. The viewers not only loved his character but understood his journey. It was a huge step up and quite an encouragement for the writers to know that the viewers were now open to such characters and wanted to learn more about issues revolving around mental health.

Sameer’s character was not only brilliantly written but he was humanized in such a way that actually made the viewers feel for him a lot. Zahid Ahmed is a fine actor but in Ishq Zahe Naseeb he wowed the viewers like he had never done before. He outdid himself, this is why the viewers wanted to see him recovering and coming to terms with his disorders with the help of Gauhar.

Amaanullah (Ye Dil Mera)

Amaanullah was suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). He lost his family and saw them getting killed. His life revolved around vengenece where he wanted to avenge his family’s murder. Amaanullah’s character had a lot of shades and each one of them were acted out brilliantly by Ahad Raza Mir. The shift in Amaanullah’s mood and thought process was always a treat to watch and it made the viewers feel for him a lot because they wanted to see him free from these burdens.

This is one of the main reasons why the ending of Ye Dil Mera did not sit well with the viewers because in the end Amaan was made to suffer and did not get a closure from his past. However, as long as the drama lasted, people loved Amaanullah’s character and felt a lot for him.

Mahjabeen (Pyaar Ke Sadqay)

This is yet another character that is loved by all those viewers who have tuned to Pyaar Ke Sadqay. A naive and gullible Mahjabeen who has had only one aspiration in life, that is to get married. She is ruling the hearts of the viewers now. After a long while, viewers got to see such a character whose innocence was the most endearing part of her personality. She has made the viewers feel for her because she is being harassed by people around, yet she is finding it hard to understand.

Mahjabeen on her own is happily married to Abdullah, whom she adores but unfortunately, he is being disloyal to her. It still doesn’t take away her faith that she puts in people because it’s her niceness that she sees in others assuming they are going to reciprocate it as well. Yumna Zaidi has given Mahjabeen’s character a beautiful treatment and her acting has been top-notch throughout the drama. Yumna Zaidi makes you feel for Mahjabeen every step of the way and it is because of her portrayal, that this character is being loved by the viewers.

This completes the list of 10 characters from recent Pakistani dramas that viewers fell in love with. Which of these characters are your favorite? Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section below.

There is no denying the fact that the majority of Pakistanis have grown up watching Bollywood movies. Bollywood has been a huge part of their lives because of the kind of entertainment it provided. In Pakistan where dramas were a source of entertainment and the television industry made a name for itself, in India, Bollywood has always dominated the entertainment realm of the country. It won’t be wrong to say that a lot of Pakistani actors grew up idolizing Bollywood actors, this is why when they started acting, they followed the footsteps of their idols and tried to act in such a manner which was heavily inspired by their favorite actors.

Zara Noor Abbas has earned a lot of popularity over the years. In a very short span of time, she became a household name and is one of those actors whose association with any project gets the viewers and her fans excited. Zara Noor Abbas has been very careful with her choice of scripts, this is why she has been able to showcase a variety of acting skills in her dramas.

Zara Noor Abbas is a director’s actor. She is capable of pulling a character off on her own when the director guides her thoroughly. This is the reason, those directors who have a certain way of extracting the acting out of Zara have enabled her to act to her full potential. However, those directors who have liked her acting to be a bit exaggerated gave her a lot of margin to act however she wanted, this is why in such dramas, it is evident that Zara Noor Abbas is very much inspired by Ashwariya Rai and tries her best to copy her acting. This happens in such dramas where she is left on her own to choose the kind of treatment she wishes for her characters.

Zara Noor Abbas & Ashwaria Rai:

The Emotional Display & Dialogue Delivery

In Deewar e Shab, Zara Noor Abbas played the role of Feroza; a renowned dancer who was known for her beautiful looks, grace and elegance. Although the character of Feroza was short-lived, the kind of acting Zara Noor Abbas did made it quite obvious that she was trying to copy the acting done by Ashwariya Rai in Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The gasps and panting, painful expressions as well as her dialogue delivery was very similar to Ashwariya Rai. Zara also resorted to voice modulation in order to add a lot more expression and depth to the emotion she was portraying, which was a clear cut reminder of how Ashwariya has acted out the emotional scenes in her super-hit movies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5m6Y4qNZms&t=3m25s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImmM3mtXdKc&t=4m22s

Dancing & Expressions

Ashwariya Rai’s dancing sequences were a huge part of her movies purely because of the fact that she was a very good dancer. All of her dancing sequences in her movies like Devdas, Umrao Jaan and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam were famous because of her outstanding performances. In Deewar e Shab, Zara Noor Abbas also had a dancing sequence and after looking at it, it was pretty explanatory that she must have practiced watching Ashwariya Rai’s songs because the entire body language and facial expressions were a testimony to the fact that she actually wanted to be like her idol Ashwariya Rai.

Fun-Loving Characters

In Ehd e Wafa, it could be seen that Zara Noor Abbas was just being herself. As stated earlier, it was probably because the director wanted her character to still have a realistic feel without looking too filmy and over the top. This is why the character of Rani became popular right after the first episode went on-air because Zara Noor Abbas kept it very real and held back in going overboard. However, in Zebaish, Zara is playing a very similar role to that of Rani, but because the director gave her a freehand to act out however she felt comfortable, she has overacted so much that people are finding it difficult to like her character.

There is not much of a difference so far in the characters of Rani and Nosheen played by Zara Noor Abbas in Ehd e Wafa and Zebaish but different treatments have made the viewers dislike Nausheen, that too right after they liked seeing her as Rani. The acting that Zara Noor Abbas has displayed in Zebaish is a constant reminder of Ashwaria Rai’s acting in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. In the initial part of the movie, she was carefree, loud, boisterous and full of life. The character of Nandini was also unique because of her mannerisms and the innocence that she embodied. Zara Noor Abbas has tried really hard to recreate that vibe in Zebaish as well as Deewar e Shab, therefore it was evident that she was trying very hard to copy the acting of Ashwaria Rai.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5m6Y4qNZms&t=1m17s

Zara Noor Abbas is exploring the domain of acting and is experimenting at this stage. There is still a long way to go for her to grow, therefore she still has to find her own identity as an actor. However, Zara Noor Abbas should definitely take inspiration from her aunt Bushra Basheer and mother Asma Abbas who are an institute within themselves. She can clearly act because she gets it from her family and she has the potential, however one can only wish that she stops copying Ashwariya Rai and refines herself as an actor.